Call them what you will: new year’s resolutions, personal goals, self-improvements, better behaviors or realistic wishful thinking. My Reader has already made a new and improved list of resolutions for the 2015 new year. This IS a new beginning. I’ve read My Reader’s list. It is impressive. No! It is better than impressive it is awesome. My Reader may just may be, by the end of this year, a perfect human being. Or close to perfect. Remarkable. Yes? No…I didn’t think so either. A crock more like.

Me? I’ll settle for something more practical. Comfortable. Attainable. I’m calling my list secrets only because if I tell you about them I know they won’t go any further than between you and me. Us. Just us. Right?

We all have them. Pesky secrets. Things about ourselves we’d rather not share. Occurrences we’d rather not make public. But…to bare one’s soul, to whisper in more than one ear, to finally shout to the world-at-large from the highest hill-top where wild flowers sway back-and-forth-back-and-forth in gentle breezes can be an exercise in personal freedom. Or something like that.

My secrets are really quite simple. Thoughts I’ve never shared. Things I’d like to do…not like a stupid bucket list or anything like that. I mean how stupid is writing a list on the side of a bucket? Also, writing down words I don’t say out loud because I find them distasteful…but not swear words. Let’s be clear. I swear. A lot. Especially when I do something really stupid. Like I said…I swear a lot. Let me give you an example and this is a good one because I’ve always wanted to write this down….

“Sheesh…who just farted?”

Oh, I feel so….freedomized! My Reader says as usual I’m digressing and need to get to the point, which is:

My Secrets for now this moment this beginning of newness in time as we know it to be…now…and not in any particular order:

OK, OK.. I suspected as much (as I did the Google Translate to see what was written!!!) Yes, I do speak two, a smidgeon of Spanish and an even smaller smidgeon of German… but I am now officially going to learn Italian for our Siena trip! (see how I did that?)

J. I didn’t wish you a Happy New Year so consider it said. Working on the “supper” watercolour…almost done. Grinning at you from here in this New Year….it is going to be a good one….! I just know it… Always, R.

how about brain farts, no filter what so ever, just saying whatever you have to say. Oh your list is really great, come see me soon and I will do the same art classes starts today very busy get back to you later
As always Sheldon

Sheldon, If we define brain farts as per you…”no filter what so ever….say whatever, etc.” I think I may already be there…
Thank you for the follow and yes, will come see you soon. Good luck with those classes….

Good Morning … and I imagine you have returned from your brisk morning walk, thus are now enjoy a warm cup or two. Here’s one to start your day … it’s Argentine, which I don’t do, but you may enjoy this one … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWONCyPUaa0

Oh…that was fun! Love the dancing…which I could do (*snort)…but doubt if my dress would stay up without gym socks stuffed in the top and a bit of duct tape wrapped around the bodice for good measure…and just in case. Also….I doubt very much I could keep my stomach muscles pulled in to a “flat” position for the duration. It wouldn’t be pretty….
I’m ready for that cuppa now…..meeting a friend for just that and a chat. You and Mrs. aFA can join us….

And me? Wait! What? You already have YOUR dress? What about mine? Remember, no strapless! Strapless and big boobs just don’t get along well (no socks for me…) But lots of duct tape…
Hey, they’ve got Spanx for that whole tummy tuck thing…

aFA…what is my Lovely Dale up to now? I’m out the door for my morning walk…you should be here…it’s only raining ☔ and warm. Well kinda warm…Thank you for the heads up…when I get back will see what she has done now…signed us up for dancing lessons I hope…

A long time ago my mother told me I could never wear black nail polish because it looked like you slammed all your fingers in a door and the nails were about to fall off. That being said I think your toes look swell in the surf. And I’m not so much a foot person.

I liked your list of “secrets”. I gave up resolutions cause I always break them. Maybe if I call them secrets it will be different.

You light up my life….catchy phrase…might be a song in there….!
We should meet at some point, Barney. Maybe when Mr/Mrs BTG head west for a holiday….? What a hoot!!
Thank you always for your kind words and support. You really do…light up my life…especially today. Raye

Who knew there were so many “friends” out there slurping their morning coffee, spewing Cheerios bits and pieces all over the funny papers…reading about My Secrets. Obviously these people need to get a life…
I listen to the weather reports…you are going to be in the freezer for a while. We are cold and wet as usual for Portland.
Comparatively speaking….no complaints.

Raye, first I love your ten little toes peeking out of the water to tell their secret. I also like the fact the “Give more. Take Less” deserved two spots on our list. I will do a poor man’s James Taylor to your Carly Simon on “Mockingbird.” Great post. BTG

MOCKINGBIRD! YES!! YOU ARE ON, BTG!!! That saying “be careful what you wish for”…is not scary at all except for last night as I watched and re-watched Simon and Taylor cavort on stage with me singing (hmmm I wouldn’t really call it singing) along with them. Talk about a poor substitute for ravishing Carly!! No matter. We will be evenly matched.
PS. Yes…two times on our list…actually…with you in mind when composed. Thanks for that. You’ve made my day….
Raye

Nail varnish on toe nails should be racy!
Nice to see you Anne. Hoping your winter weather is not as dismal as ours…although it tends to be pretty much the same as yours! Gray and wet…..
Happy New Year!
Raye

you are so funny – and brilliant – and you have the lovely gift of making me laugh. a lot.

so the electricity people ‘fixed’ the problem today and assured me that we’d have no more problems.. i was painting tonight – brush loaded with pigment (acrylic) and ‘ka-POW!” a transformer blew somewhere in the distance. power was extinguished. that’s one way to make me stop painting!

as always, only these 8 houses were affected. as always, i’m now on battery powered usb internet and i’d better log off!

Z….hoping the juice is back on…both electricity and battery! We cannot have you NOT painting…! No, Lisa…I’m under no illusion that “brilliant” describes me. More….descriptive brilliancy covers YOU on all sides, top and bottom. You set high bars (notice the plural) of performance…on all levels. Thank you for being an example of humanness we should all strive to emulate…even just a wee bit…if not in GREAT quantities. Raye

Love the toes peeking (or are they peaking?) through the bubbles…
Can’t wait for the TEDTalks to wake up and call you, already… sheesh they’re slow…
Thanks for the earworm… “Can’t take my eyes off youuuuuu….”
Colour more: yes; swear less: please. whatchu talkin’ about, Woman?
Continue being GREAT – that’s why you are so loved! xoxo

Toes are peeking to be sure, but like you….life is peaking…or in the continual process of. It is a journey for a life time. Yes, for sure. Looks as if I’m starting a bit of a dance party…Frank and Sammy are coming. You game, Missy D? And, there’s a semi-poker game with Monopoly money in the back room with Patsye and TotsyMae manning the tables…they’ve got this “less for more” money thing going on….what’s with that anyway??
xoxoxR.

I’m crushed because I didn’t make the list. … and then I see you want to tango with Sammy … oh my my, crushed again. …. but I’ll be fine … don’t worry about me. (Secret note to self about a bridge) … Otherwise I was smiling going through it … and conducting the orchestra would be awesome. I got to conduct a HS band once … and actually in concert. … and cheers to your Reader.

Oh Frank oh Frank oh Frank….always close at heart…besides that you know that dance card of mine is never too full for another round of toe stepping and heel stomping. I don’t think you take cream in your coffee…so how are you at cattle-talk? Grinning from head to toe….

Art and farts both have a timeless quality, but hopefully only art can be eternal. Black nail polish on bubble bath toes?! This transcends talk of barn boots and mundane chores. We’re on another level now, as I’m convinced that painting was done for me and me alone. I’m off to compose a sonnet or something.

Right…me, too…trying to figure that out myself! If you come up with something that makes more sense than memorizing the words to Mockingbird and a Carly-make-over…let me know. Woa….talk about early….Is the horse calling the cart…a cart?

Believe me Dale, Jots is too classy to say anything, but the haiku is hardly worth sharing. She’s been a good sport in tolerating my attentions. As far as the bate breath, I hear that chewing on a sprig of parsley can really help.